The Chains That Bind Us
by Lizirin Barrett
Summary: Cheerful and hardworking, Shizuka Yokujin, genius mechanic, is back in the Leaf village after four years of absence. She looks and acts like anyone else, but she has a secret that no one would expect, and one that could get her into a lot of trouble if the wrong people found out. But it's becoming harder and harder to hide. Possible ItachiXOC
1. Night of Omega

**A/N: This chapter is more like a prologue to the main story, so there isn't any of Masashi Kishimoto's _Naruto_ characters showing up just yet, but they will in the next chapter. Ami and Shizuka belong to me. I hope you enjoy, comment and tell me what you think, I like to hear feedback even if it's giving me pointers or just saying this stinks! Let me know what I can improve on and I'll do my best to fix it! Thank you!**

**~Lizirin Barrett**

* * *

**Night of Omega**

Pain. A burning pain that slashed across Ami's forearms where her cousin and former lover had slashed with a sword. Then had ducked down and driven it into her chest, grazing her heart. Laying on the ground, she could feel warmth pooling around her, everything going numb.

_Once more..._ she thought. _Just once more...maybe...I can open my eyes..._

Despite the sleepy death clinging at her consciousness, Ami forced her lids to open for what might be the last time. The normally blue moon seemed to have a red tint, or maybe she had merely gotten blood in her eyes. A full moon that glowed red, nothing more could foretell a gruesome end to a violent line. In some ways, this was for the best. The village that housed them for so long had never truly needed their presence, but was a way to keep them in check. To keep them bound.

The corner of Ami's lip corked upon realizing this. _We are not necessary._ _Nor is what we were trying to do._

Slamming her eyes closed, her body became tense as a spasm of pain ripped through her chest. Waiting for it to stop, or maybe to just die already, Ami relaxed her body, silently wishing it to just end.

Through the ground, a barely delectable vibration passed under her fingertips, growing stronger and stronger until she could hear the breathing of the person whom it belonged to. The person came to a skidding stop next to her and dropped to the ground. "Ami..." a voice quivered. A voice Ami recognized. Forcing her eyes open again took almost all the energy she had left, but she did it anyway. She found she wasn't able to feel anything for the girl who looked down at her, her best friend, Shizuka.

The younger girl had tears streaming down her fair cheeks, her whole body shaking from shock and despair at seeing her long time friend in such a state. Shizuka had always admired how pretty Ami was with her thick dark hair that fell to her waist and mild gray eyes. But now her friend lay in a pool of crimson so deep it seemed black, all color bleached from her already pale skin. But the thing that made her sob the most was the gapping wound slightly off the center of her chest, pulsing her life away as it tried to heal. Her eyes were empty as if she were already dead, the only thing giving her away was the shallow breathing and twitches of her fingers, trying to reach out to her friend one last time.

Ami's lips moved silently, trying to say she would be fine, and to stop crying, big wimp. Shizuka nearly laughed, she could hear Ami saying that in her normally annoyed tone, looking down on her with scorn for bawling. That would be so like her. Even on the edge of death she was lecturing her. Lecturing her just as she had the day they met. The day that she saved her from others and from her own torture in her mind...

_So...I'll return the favor, Ami. You don't have to suffer anymore._

* * *

The first thing Shizuka became aware of was a quiet hum that pierced her subconsciousness, making her twitch and feel the needle of an IV move in her arm. Cracking her eyes, she looked around. White, white, and more white was all she could see from her position laying on her back. Careful as she raised into a sitting position, she rubbed a lump on the back of her head, not remembering how she got it.

Standing up slowly, she started to walk over to the door, but the IV stopped her. She let out an annoyed sound before roughly jerking the needle out. She had always hated hospitals, and doubted that hate would ever end.

Slipping out of the room, she wandered down the hall, searching for a washroom. Shizuka couldn't help but notice that something felt off with her body. She felt smaller, lighter...and had her hands always been this small and calloused? Something was wrong. Something was wrong with _her_, and this made her stomach flop uncomfortably, an emotion that she wasn't used to corsed through her veins: anxiety. Suddenly in a panic, Shizuka searches the halls frantically for a mirror or something that would reflect her image.

Finding two doors labeled "male," and "female," she burst into the female's lined with stalls, all the doors swinging open as if to prove she was alone in the silent room. Skidding on the polished white tile to the mirror, heart pounding and out of breath, Shizuka lifts her head.

Staring at the reflection in shock, she lifted her hand and touched the cold surface. Staring back at her was a girl with dark brown hair two inches past her shoulders, and beep brown eyes. Her skin tone a shade lighter then that she was used to seeing in the mirror. Feeling all the blood drain from her face, she stumbled backward until she hid the wall and slid to the ground. In a soft voice, she whispered, "No...what did you do?"

* * *

Back in the room Shizuka had been in, a nurse walks in with a tray of medication to give her. But the nurse stopped dead in her tracks, the tray slipping from her hands. The sound of shattering glass in the room ended only after the nurse had turn and run out of the room, yelling for help. The girl who had been in the room was now gone.


	2. Village of Falling Leaves

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to get the next chapter up. Hope it's enjoyable. Comment to tell me if there are places I need to improve! Thank you for reading!**

* * *

**Village of Falling Leaves**

_Woosh_! A gigantic gust of wind spun through the trees, taking many of the leaves with it in a short waltz. A girl of sixteen years reached up and grabbed a floating leaf that tickled her palm. Examining the leaf, she traced the veins that webbed their way all along the wings of green until each abruptly ended. Smiling, she brushed back the hair that had flown into her face. Sliding her hand over the top of her head and down her shoulder blade length hair, she grabbed the tips and rolled them between her finger tips.

Stopping motion for a moment, she looked up at the green canopy above that was laced with gold rays of the midday sun. Corners of her lips corking, she could remember all the summers that she would lay on the grass and look up at the sky from under the trees. Friends and loved ones gathered around, all laughing, some even singing with excitement. "Those were the days," she muttered aloud before walking on. But those days had long since passed, and as seems the law of nature: life becomes more complicated when you grow up.

_Growing up? Why did I ever want to grow up?_ She wondered. Heaving a deep sigh, she continued on.

It wasn't long before the great walls of the Leaf village rose before her, the large gate doors wide open. The familiar sight felt comforting, it had ben a long time since she had entered these gates. Thick boots sounding heavy foot steps on the stone between the gates catches the attention of the two guards at a small hut off to the left side. "Hello there! You can check in over here!" one called out. Turning to look at them, she smiled brightly. _They haven't changed, Izumo and Kotetsu..._

"Do you have a passport?" Izumo asked. Her eyebrow twitched, trying to refrain from blabbing out her insulting thoughts on the stupidity of the question. Instead, she calmly replied, "Of course." Pulling her large backpack off, she started to rummage through it, muttering under her breath about reorganizing the contents. The guards gave each other a weary glance as she pulled out a few objects that no normal person would be carrying around, pliers, wrench, screw driver. Finally, her eyes widened a bit and she pulled out a small passport booklet with a satisfied smile. "Sorry about that, I really need to get another bag or something," she laughed.

"No problem," Kotetsu said. "But if you don't mind me asking, why do you have those things?" The girl stopped from putting the wrench back in the bag. Looked at it, seeming almost confused for a moment, then said simply, "I'm a mechanic."

"Is that so?" Izumo asked, skimming through the passport. Then snapping it shut, he smiled. "Welcome back to the Leaf, Miss Shizuka Yokujin." Handing the passport back to her, she smiled, "It's good to be back!"

It wasn't long before Shizuka was strolling through the streets and humming to herself. She was never one to remember detail, but everything appeared to not have changed in the last five years. The many buildings that lined the streets caused temporary shade that clusters of people fanning themselves stood in. Indeed the weather was hot, even for this country. Shizuka silently thanked her body for having skin that merely tanned, and didn't burn. But that didn't make the heat any less stifling. So she stopped and reached into her backpack, searching for a hair band. Muttering in annoyance as the bag slipped from her shoulder, she set it on the ground , still digging.

"Look out!" someone yelled. Head snapping up, Shizuka let out a squeak and jumped out of the way, just in time to miss getting run over by a horse. Stumbling, she fell backward onto the ground, a prickle going up her back. Rubbing her throbbing temples, a small hand suddenly stuck out before her. "You okay, lady?" Looking up, Shizuka smiled at the young boy, he couldn't have been more than eight. "I'm alright," she said, taking his offered hand and raising to her feet. He then proceeded to turn and yell at the older blonde boy laying in the middle of the road..

"I told you not to try to ride that horse!" he cried, arms flailing for emphasis. "There's a reason he's named Sobou! Hey, are you listening?" There was silence from the blonde. "Naruto?"

Curious, and a bit worried, Shizuka slung her bag back over her shoulder and slunk over to the fallen boy. His eyes were closed and he didn't move. Thinking of a long lost memory, Shizuka bent over Naruto and blew softly between his eyes, then pressed gently on his temples. The blonde heaved a breath and groaned, blue eyes blinking open. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked. He stared up at her for a moment, totally confused. Then his eyes widened and he yelled, "Ah!" and jumped up quickly. "Where's the horse? Where's the horse? Konohamaru, where's the horse?" he cried, searching this way and that. Shizuka stared. _There's something wrong with this kid..._

The younger boy, Konohamaru, stood with his hands clenched at his sides for a moment, then looked up at Naruto and yelled, "I told you this would happen! But you never listen!" The boy kept lecturing for a few minutes, while Naruto crossed his arms and pouted. Shizuka couldn't help but find the situation amusing.

Suddenly, a loud groaning grumble shook the space between them. Konohamaru and Shizuka stared at Naruto, who put one hand on his stomach a the other scratched his head in embarrassment. "Gosh, sorry about that! I haven't eaten in forever!" he said cheerfully. Then his eyes widened. "I got it! I'm heading to Ichiraku for some ramen! Later!"

"Naruto! What about the horse? Did you forget already you nearly just trampled this lady, too?" Konohamaru yelled after the quickly disappearing older boy, but it was too late. Konohamaru wilted like a flower left without water. Looking around, Shizuka spotted the horse. "Uh...hey, kid? Are you going to get that?" His eyes bulged when his eyes landed on the specter not far down the road. The horse had it's head stuck inside an open air fruit booth and was munching away on the crunchy red apples, the owner was yelling angrily, head swinging side to side, searching for the people who let the horse loose. All of a sudden, Konohamaru started pushing on Shizuka's back. "I pay for all those!" he hissed, looking nervous. For a moment, she paused in thought. Then grimaced. "Neither can I." Grabbing his small arm, she took off in the direction Naruto had gone.

Dodging people left and right, it didn't take the two long to get a fair distance away from the scene. Panting slightly, both Shizuka and Konohamaru glanced back as if to see if they were being followed, which, of course, they weren't. "I never want to see that horse again..." Konohamaru gasped, hands on his knees. "Is he really that wild?" Shizuka asked. Looking up at her, Konohamaru spat, "Of course! Sobou hasn't ever been ridden. Well...let anyone ride him willingly." As if only now thinking of it, he asked, "By the way, who're you?" Blinking, she started to speak, but was abruptly cut off by a loud yelling to the right.

"Hey! Why won't you open up? I'm starving here! Hey! Hey, hey, hey!" Followed by a few knocks on metal. Glancing over, she found Naruto throwing a fit in front of a shop that was all closed up.

_So this was where Naruto ran off to,_ Shizuka thought. Then with some resentment, _Brat._

An older man finally opened up the booth. Naruto shot inside and started ordering a ridiculous amount of ramen, but the man just stood there. Curious, Shizuka snuck closer to eavesdrop, Konohamaru close behind. The man sounded upset as he said, "Sorry, Naruto. I'm closed until I get my stoves fixed, they broke down last night." The blonde boy melted into the picture of depression, head dropped onto the bar counter. Catching sight of the two standing fairly close to the shop now, the man turned to them and said, "Sorry, we're closed for the day." Shizuka ignored his statement. "Did you say your stove was broken?" He sighed deeply. "I'm afraid so."

Her face lit up. "I could fix it for you right now, if you want." She offered. The man looked surprised. "You're a mechanic?" Naruto was suddenly on his feet and grabbing Shizuka's hands, teary-eyed. "Please fix it!" he cried. "I haven't had Ichiraku Ramen in too long! It's all because of all the missions I've been on lately! C'mon, Teuchi!" The man smiled. "Well, I'd be glad to hire you. Even if it's just to get this one to quiet down." While Naruto cheered, all Shizuka could think of was how lucky she had gotten to find a job so quickly.

* * *

Studying the bowl of ramen before her, Shizuka breathed in the spicy smells. Naruto sat to her right, and on his right, Konohamaru. Next to Naruto already sat three empty bowls. _Even though we just met, this kid doesn't seem to lack in surprise._ Laughing softly, she spun her noodles through the broth and sucked them up. Her eyes widened. "This is the best!" she announced, inhaling a few more bites. Teuchi smiled widely, "And thanks to you, I've only lost a half a day of business, Miss Yokujin." Shizuka mumbled something through a mouth full of food, but didn't bother to stop.

She quickly finished off the bowl, wishing she could have more, but restrained. "Well, if you have anymore issues, don't hesitate to call me." She beamed. "You just got here right?" Naruto asked, glancing over at her. Shizuka nodded, quickly standing and throwing her bag over her shoulders. "Speaking of which, I still need to find a place to stay the night." She stated. "See you guys around, then."

As she started to move away, Naruto suddenly yelled, "Hey! Shizuka!" She stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. "What?" He grinned, seeming proud of his next words. "In a few days I'm in the final round of the Chuunin Exams! Come watch, okay?!" She couldn't stop herself from flinching, glad that none of them seemed to notice it. Quickly recovering, she grinned back. "Wouldn't miss it!" With that she bolted from the shop and down the road.

Coming to a stop, she heaved a sigh. It had been a long time since she had heard talk of the Chuunin Exams, and it made her uneasy. Looking up at the carved faces of the past Hokage, she walked on.

The rest of the day she spent just walking around, exploring places new and old. Passing by an abandoned compound pressed against the side of the great walls, Shizuka paused, it was all blocked off. The Uchiha residents had been a place where she had spent most of her time. But that was when Ami was alive, and Itachi was loyal. All the good memories had seemed like they would last forever, days when the only thing that would haunt the two shinobi, were the ghosts they would bring home from the battle field. Eyes narrowing, she glanced at the sun setting over her shoulder. _Just a quick peek will be fine._

Scaling the wall, she easily landed on the other side. A quiet tap on the stone walk way was all the sound she made. Without looking back at the wall, she started to wander through the rows of empty houses. It seemed so lonely, everything that had been unused for years, it all seemed to cry out in the creaks and groans the wood made as the wind passed through them. Dragging a finger over the side of a wall, she took in the textures of the different boards, each was unique in it's own way. But there will always be jagged pieces to anything. "Ouch!" Shizuka snatched her hand back, a tiny splinter poking out of the skin. Rolling her eyes, she dug it out, sucking on the sore skin as she walked on.

The last light had nearly sunk away behind the walls, the area taking on a dark blue haze. Suddenly, as if by another's will, her feet froze to the spot. Looking around, a flash of panic came over her as the near ground was soaked crimson, just like it was the last time she was here. A strangled noise lodged in her throat, refusing to come out. A pain stabbed between her ribs, tearing at her heart, making her double over with her hands pressed at her chest. Gasping for breath, she shivered, a strange calm washing over her mind like a cool cloth on a fevered forehead, forcing her to slow her breathing to deep inhales and exhales. Finally looking up, someone was standing in front of her. Long black hair and dark eyes, blood covering her white shirt.

Ami.

Suddenly Shizuka was gazing into a mirror, memories flooding her. The memories she had tried to seal away. So before any more could worm their way back in, she turned and bolted. Through the streets, over the wall, and gone into the lights and crowed roads.

As soon as she was far away, Shizuka slowed to a walk. The throbbing in her head wouldn't stop, the memories taking her like a title wave. Sitting in front of a window and looking out at the darkening night, her reflection transparent in the glass, black hair cascading down her back and around pale shoulders. Continuing to walk, she gave in to the memory.

_After having gotten out of the shower, I had wrapped myself in a towel and sat staring out a blackening window in my dark room, brushing out my dark locks. I loved the feeling of brushing my hair, it was calming. This was my evening routine, and it never changed. I had always been happy that my house was one of the few two story houses in the Uchiha compound, that way I could look out over the town a bit more. All the lights flickering on were mesmerizing. Some nights I would sit there for hours, just watching the lights and the people. A few times I had seen things I had wished I wouldn't, such as three older kids ganging up on one younger kid. I would have run out to help, but I was comfortable where I was, and besides, I was in a towel. Who runs out to help someone in a towel? I wasn't going to lose all my cover for no reason. So I just looked away._

_But on this night, no one had passed in quite a while. I sighed, some things had seemed off lately, but I couldn't place them. In some ways, I didn't want to place them. I already knew what the others and Shisui were doing, I didn't want any part in it._

_There was a knock on the door, making me fly out of my seat. There were only a few people who could sneak up on me like that. Dashing over to block the door, I called, "Who is it?" A familiar voice floated to my ears. "Sorry I came by so late, it's me." This did nothing to help my sudden panic. Sometimes Itachi would drop by without warning, but never this time of night. "U-uuuuhhh...hold on a second!" I cried. Quickly jumping around my room, I threw on clothes, nearly falling over in my hurry to pull on pants. Finishing fairly fast, I threw open the door, only to find Itachi laughing. I glowered, "What are you laughing at?" He said nothing, but I somehow knew that he had heard my mad scramble and was making fun of me. I went to slam the door shut again, but he grabbed it and walked in as if it were nothing out of the ordinary._

_Glancing at my towel thrown on the floor, he parked himself on my bed. "So? Why are you here so late?" I asked, still pouting about his laughter. He looked up and smiled. "Is there something wrong with wanting to see you?" I could feel my cheeks flush lightly, but tried to make it look like anger instead of embarrassment. He chuckled, "Be glad I decided to use the door, instead of the window like last time."_ Erk.

That was as far as Shizuka would allow it to go. There was something in that memory that made her want to burst into tears, for herself and for Ami. Because Ami was gone, her memories should be gone as well.

Looking around for a hotel, Shizuka dashed for the nearest one. After checking in and paying for the night, she quickly found her way to the assigned room. Inserting the key into the door knob, she felt it click when turned. Heaving a deep breath, she drug herself inside, every part of her suddenly feeling like a block of stone. Dropping her bag next to the bed, she flipped on the small lamp beside the bed. Too exhausted to do anything more, she jerked off her heavy boots and slid under the covers.

As sleep carried her into a dream world of her own, the night passed quietly by. One by one the lights in the town went out until there were nothing but the dull flickering of the street lamps.


End file.
